During a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan emphasized Turkey's commitment to maintaining strong security measures in Syria against groups it considers terrorist threats, including the Islamic State. Erdogan urged international cooperation for rebuilding Syrian institutions and assured that Turkey would not allow any weaknesses in its anti-terrorism efforts.
Ekrem Imamoglu, the newly re-elected Istanbul Mayor, has emerged as a potential challenger to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. Despite facing obstacles from the courts, Imamoglu's success in appealing to a wide range of voters has positioned him as a potential national leader. While sharing similarities with Erdogan in terms of their roots and initial political obstacles, Imamoglu's secularist stance contrasts with Erdogan's Islamist vision. His recent victory in the mayoral elections signifies a significant blow for the opposition and sets the stage for potential rivalry on the national stage in the future.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan discussed the ongoing war in Gaza and Sweden's application to join NATO in a phone call. Turkey, supporting a two-state solution, criticized Israel's offensive in Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire. Erdogan urged the U.S. to cut back its unconditional support for Israel and take responsibility for achieving a lasting ceasefire. The leaders also discussed Turkish-U.S. relations, including the issue of F-16 fighter jet sales to Turkey, and the importance of welcoming Sweden as a NATO ally. Turkey's ratification of Sweden's NATO bid is still pending, with some issues to be resolved.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan referred to Israel as a "terror state" and accused it of committing war crimes and violating international law in Gaza. He reiterated his belief that Hamas is not a terrorist organization and criticized the West for providing unlimited support to Israel. Erdogan also called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to disclose whether Israel possesses nuclear weapons and predicted his departure from office. This is not the first time Erdogan has made such statements, as he has previously referred to Israel as an occupier and defended Palestinian "freedom fighters."
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan criticized the United States for moving a carrier strike group closer to Israel, suggesting that it would lead to "serious massacres" in Gaza. Erdogan's comments came after U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the deployment in response to a recent attack by Hamas militants on Israel. Turkey, which has previously supported Palestinians, has been working to repair ties with Israel and has offered to mediate between the two sides.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan stated that Turkey could "part ways" with the European Union if necessary, in response to a European Parliament report that said Turkey's accession process cannot resume under current circumstances. The report called for the EU to explore alternative frameworks for its ties with Ankara. Turkey has been an official candidate to join the EU for 24 years, but accession talks have stalled due to concerns over human rights violations and the rule of law.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan stated that Turkey could "part ways" with the European Union if necessary, in response to a European Parliament report that stated Turkey's accession process cannot resume under current circumstances. The report called for the EU to explore alternative frameworks for its ties with Ankara. Turkey has been an official candidate to join the EU for 24 years, but talks have stalled due to concerns over human rights violations and the rule of law. Turkey's Foreign Ministry criticized the report, calling it shallow and non-visionary.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the opposition presidential candidate in Turkey's recent elections, faces questions about his leadership and the challenge of preserving the opposition alliance ahead of local voting in March 2024. Despite polls hinting at a win, Kilicdaroglu lost to President Tayyip Erdogan, who was seen as vulnerable due to a cost-of-living crisis. The opposition alliance, which includes nationalists, Islamists, secularists, and liberals, will need to re-focus on maintaining control of Turkey's big cities in the municipal elections.
Turkey's lira slipped towards a fresh record low against the dollar as President Tayyip Erdogan claimed victory in the country's presidential election on Sunday. The lira has lost more than 90% of its value over the past decade with the economy in the grip of boom and bust cycles, rampant bouts of inflation, and a currency crisis. Erdogan's victory is unlikely to embrace an outright economic orthodox approach, but some adjustments to the current heterodox approach could be adopted with the aim of gaining time ahead of the March 2024 local elections.
Turkish citizens living abroad have started voting in the presidential runoff election between incumbent Tayyip Erdogan and challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu. Erdogan fell just short of the 50% threshold needed to win the presidential vote outright last Sunday. Some 3.4 million Turks are eligible to vote abroad, out of a total electorate of more than 64 million. Erdogan says only he can ensure stability in Turkey, as it grapples with a cost-of-living crisis, soaring inflation and the impact of devastating earthquakes in February.
Muharrem Ince, one of the four candidates in Turkey's presidential election, has withdrawn from the race, citing a smear campaign against him. Ince's withdrawal could boost the chances of President Tayyip Erdogan's main opponent, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. Ince called on voters to support his Homeland Party and criticised the opposition, saying they would blame him if they lost the election. Ince was a former deputy of the centre-left Republican People's Party and came second in the 2018 election.
